I might regret making my first blog post so short, but that's what I see this developing into; a space where information I am currently thinking about is collected and saved for my future reference as well as for others to stumble across.
Modern agriculture depends on many energy additions besides natural soil nutrients, water and sunlight. Fertilizers from natural gas, diesel for tractors and combines and sprayers, chemical pesticides and herbicides. Not to mention the processing, packaging and distribution energy requirements of going from the plants grown and animals raised to the groceries sitting in your pantry. This energy cycle is huge and tracing it takes a long time because for each food item it is unique.
Right now I am designing a water supply and irrigation system for a 1 hectare (ha) market garden site in Guelph Ontario, where I go to university. My classmates and I are exploring rainwater harvesting, stormwater harvesting, conveyance, treatment, storage, and the irrigation distribution. There is a solar powered greenhouse on site for year round food supply, approximately 0.3 ha dedicated to demonstrating permaculture techniques, a composting toilet, and soon a water system that:
is Energy efficient (traditional fossil fuels are a no)
Maximizes crop yield to water use
Cost-effective
Supplies safe water from a source other than municipal water lines or groundwater
Demonstrates techniques for urban water harvesting to others
More details and interesting info I uncovered to come when there is no 40 page report due.
If anyone can tell me about clay pot irrigation in zone 5, eastern canadian climates, that would be really interesting. Or if you have worked in an urban community garden or small farm, what did you choose as your water source?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
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